Cessna 340 crash, Dec 1, 2016 (1 killed), Fargo-Hector
Cessna 340 accident on December 1, 2016 near Fargo-Hector, North Dakota, United States with 1 fatality. Cause: NTSB: The loose fuel fitting on the...
- Date: December 1, 2016
- Aircraft: Cessna 340
- Location: Fargo-Hector, North Dakota, United States
- Fatalities: 1
- Phase of flight: Approach and landing
- Cause: NTSB: The loose fuel fitting on the combustion heater leaked a lean fuel air mixture into the nose baggage compartment, most likely ignited by the heater, causing an overpressure that blew off the nose baggage doors and started an in flight fire.
A Cessna 340 operated by Weather Modification, Inc. was returning to Fargo after taking air samples over oil fields. The pilot overshot the runway centerline on the instrument approach, reported an onboard fire, and lost altitude rapidly before striking the ground at high speed. The pilot was killed.